| Meditation |
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| Monday, 11 May 2009 23:43 | |||
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Transcript of Video-satsang: Sunday Date 12 April 2009. Topic: Meditation
Anushia: Pranaams Swamiji. Pranaams also to Maa and Naya Swamiji. I am Anushia Swaminathan. There are 37 of us assembled here today. Seven are new comers
Poojya Swamiji: You said pranaams. I have to give you my blessings. I am very happy. I am also happy that 7 new incumbents are there. Very good. I compliment and also bless all of them profusely.
Anushia: The first question: My work is shift work, therefore I am not able to meditate at the same time daily. Thus, in such a situation, what should I do?
Poojya Swamiji: Don’t worry at all about your shift work. You need not meditate at the same time but you have to meditate every day. The day is more important than even time. Depending upon your shift work, whatever time suits you, after shift or before the shift, you can select. But there is one condition necessarily to be observed. What is that condition? The stomach should not have any undigested food. It should be before taking food or at least two and a half to three hours after taking solid food. When the stomach is full with food, the entire body and body machinery will have to send blood and oxygen to the stomach for digestion. But in meditation, our attempt is to oxygenate and also nourish the brain with greater blood supply. So the supply will have to go up. That is why we want to make sure that the stomach is not loaded with food to be digested instantly. Once that condition is fulfilled, any time is o.k. Any time is o.k. (Swamiji repeats). See, there are people who work in the night shift; they will have to sleep. After sleeping, just like any other man will get up after the night sleep in the morning, let them consider that time to be whenever they get up, whether 12 o’clock or 3 o’clock in the afternoon, that they should consider to be morning. So any time can be selected. But everyday make it a practice so that the day should not be missed. The change of time should not affect you unnecessarily. Is it o.k.? Is the question answered?
Anushia: Yes Swamiji. The second question: Why is initiation so significant for the practice of meditation?
Poojya Swamiji: When you learn the alphabet, pronouncing it, and also writing, did you not have a teacher? Did anybody doubt or think ‘Is it necessary for me to have a teacher to pronounce the alphabets or to write the alphabets? Similarly, when you were taught walking, did you start walking alone or were you helped and shown to walk by the mother and the father. For getting a body, why did you have a mother and a father? You could have a body from the air. So for every little thing, we are being helped ion one form or another. See the world is progressing and we have a great measure of knowledge before us. If we utilize this knowledge, our progress can be facilitated. Suppose you say ‘I will not take the existing knowledge at all. I will attempt it all afresh’. Then how many decades and centuries will you have to struggle to reach the present level? In the same manner, to seek initiation from an enlightened person will facilitate, quicken and soften your progress. So what is the wrong in accepting the initiation, one, and why should the point be debated at all? I really don’t know. See you want to have meditation as a practice and you want to progress well. Whatever help comes to you from somebody, simply accept it. Where is the question of debating upon it at all? The very feeling that you debate and discuss upon the need for initiation goes to prove that there is something wrong in the thinker.
See, often I travel in village areas. It so happens that we are not sure about the road. So now and then we stop the vehicle and ask the people, passers by or people who stand there “Which is the place? How to go there?”. We take directions from them and go. In the same manner, you are taking directions and guidance from a person very closely with whom you can associate with all fondness, intimacy, without any fear. I think it is always welcome.
So initiation will quicken your progress, will soften your process, will make it comfortable and easy. This is one point. And in reality, without taking a proper initiation or diksha from a satguru, you will only be like a blind man led by other blind people. If you are yourself blind, you may fall once. If you catch hold of the finger of another blind man, everytime instead of one fall, you will have two. That is what is going to happen. Is it clear? O.k. Very good.
Anushia: The third question: In meditation, how do waves of thought subside?
Poojya Swamiji: Meditation is an effort in which the real intention is to quieten the mind which means the waves of thought have to be led to subsidence; they have to subside. That is the purpose of meditation. Whether you do meditation or not, all the thoughts will emerge in the mind. They are followed by their own subsidence. See every word that comes out of your mouth, you utter it. After uttering it, the mouth closes. To utter the word, it opens. After the utterance, it closes. In the same manner, every thought emerges from the mind and after emergence it subsides. That is what normally happens. But as soon as a thought subsides, another thought comes. So virtually there is a succession of thoughts, so to say. There is no subsidence that lingers for something like five minutes, ten minutes or half-an-hour.
In meditation what are we trying to do is, we are sitting in meditation with the clear intention that the thoughts should become thinner, feebler, lighter. Did you get the three words I am using? The thoughts should become thinner, feebler and lighter. Then they should become slower. Now when they become thinner, lighter, feebler and slower, what will happen? See, I am asking you to run. You start running. Then I say you slow down. So you reduce the speed of running. I again say slow further down. So again you walk slower, slower, slower. Then I say become the slowest. What will it be? The slowest walking means stopping. In the same manner the mind also will. Let the thoughts become thinner, lighter, feebler and reduce the speed of the thinking. Reduce it further and further and further and further until at last it stops. It is a very natural process. But why it does not occur in ordinary people is simply because they don’t know that there is such a situation and that is the real source of everything. They don’t know. So this is how in meditation the thoughts come to a state of quietness or quietitude. Is it clear?
Anushia: Yes Swamiji. The fourth question: In meditation, how do thoughts become luminous to us Swamiji?
Poojya Swamiji: See, this is where you will have to do a little fundamental or basic thinking. Generally the word luminous or luminosity refers to something like brilliant objects. What are they? The sun, moon, lamp, lightning and may be the firefly and things like that. Now this is called visual brilliance or visual luminosity. Only in the presence of light your eyes will be able to distinguish objects. Now so many thoughts are arising within our body. How do you come to know it? Just like luminous….(pause). Whenever thoughts and emotions arise in our body, instantly we know them. Unless there is a luminosity in them, how can you know it? Because there is no light there. Inside the body there is no physical light. But nevertheless you know what is taking place. How do you know it? So they are themselves luminous. Luminous means brilliant to the point of revealing that we are present here. So the thoughts are an expression of consciousness.
And do you know what is consciousness? Consciousness cannot be defined except after its property or quality. Consciousness is …that … that. I cannot describe it. It is that. It is unlike light. It is unlike darkness. It is unlike any colours. It is unlike thickness, thinness, transparence, nothing like that. So it has to be defined: it is different from anything that you know of. So consciousness is that by which you become conscious of.
Sit in a room after closing the door, closing everything. Don’t permit light from outside and don’t put on electrical light. In such a state of darkness, don’t you know that you have a body? How do you know it? Who tells you that you have a body? So there is something in us which makes us conscious of the body. Agreed or not? Something makes you conscious of the body. What makes you conscious of the body you do not know. But you know that you are conscious of the body. In the same manner, you are conscious of your thoughts, feelings, emotions, knowledge and doubts also.
So there is something in us which makes us conscious of other things. And that is the thing that makes you conscious of your thoughts. Now this is something that Mr. Unnikrishnan and the others will have to discuss and make you further think about and make you understand. I can go on talking to you but it will require a lot of time. See when you slept, you come up, you wake up and you say” I slept”. So something was there which made you conscious of your sleep. When you become unconscious, you say I was unconscious, I did not know anything at all.
So at every time something is present within our body by virtue of which we become conscious of everything including our being conscious and our being unconscious. So that consciousness is always luminous. There is a beautiful word which we use. I did not use that word thinking that you will be baffled. It is self effulgent. It is effulgent by virtue of its own self. Not by other things. See we are seeing the brilliance of the moon. Moon is actually a rocky planet; it does not have any brilliance. Sun’s rays fall on it and get reflected; then we see a brilliant moon. And when you look at the earth, …I don’t know but I am told, from the moon, earth also will be brilliant. But there is no self effulgence either in the moon or in the earth. But in the consciousness, it is always self-effulgent. Is it clear?
Anushia: The fifth question: Does purity of the mind affect or influence entry into the meditative state?
Poojya Swamiji: Certainly! You can make the percentage yourself! It is several times 100%, multiples of 100%. (Swamiji repeats the question). The answer is very interesting. Purity and fervour of the mind lead to meditation and result in meditation. And conversely, meditation also in turn increases purity and fervour. Purity of the mind, you can say, it is even the result and outcome of meditation. Ultimately by meditative effort, what we want is, we want to have a pure mind. What is a pure mind? A pure mind is one from which beautiful, benevolent, helpful, good and noble thoughts, creative thoughts will go on emerging. You will have such a mind which will always produce beautiful and beautiful and beautiful and beautiful (Swamiji repeats) and benevolent thoughts. That is purity. BY MEDITATION ALONE such purity can be achieved. And everytime you have purity it helps meditation also. So purity of the mind and meditation, they go together. It is just like two sides of a coin, or of our own hand. So let there be no doubt about it. What we want to have is a pure mind. A man who has a completely good pure mind, he need not meditate because it is always meditation for you. And why meditation becomes necessary? Meditation is the only means by which you get into the mind and make it work in the manner you want. See, if you go on uttering something, if you go on walking, if you go on doing pooja with your hands; I don’t think mind is directly touched. Mind will be directly touched only when you think, feel. When you think, feel, deliberate, try to understand, know., only by a process of thinking the mind gets involved and touched. So meditation is indispensable to have purity. To understand the concept of purity itself you will have to meditate for quite some time. So purity of the mind and meditation, are absolutely inseparable. Is it okay? You are saying ‘yes’ everytime I ask you. So should I ask you? You must also say ‘no’ sometimes. Don’t manufacture it and say.
Anushia: The sixth question: Is there a clear process by which we can position ourself for conducive meditation?
Poojya Swamiji: By the word process, what do you mean? Any kind of a special asana or pose?
Anushia: Yes, Swamiji.
Poojya Swamiji: You know our sastras very clearly say a number of asans are there. Ultimately Patanjali says, “Sthira sukam asana”. “Whichever pose you feel comfortable to meditate, that is the best position”. Whicheever pose. If you sit cross-legged, well and good. If you sit on a chair, which you should try to avoid generally, then that is okay. Any pose where you will be able to handle your mind without disturbance, pain or discomfort is very good. So the right stipulation will be in this modern days when people are obese and they are very fat and they don’t have a good health, etc; I cannot say ‘you sit in this particular pose, that particular pose, etc.’ We are all using the chair and dining tables. So much so, squatting is not in our habit at all. Even I have lost the habit of squatting cross-legged, etc. But I am one who was very used to it in an earlier life; I mean for so many decades of my life because of dining table habits.
So, any kind of a pose where you can comfortably meditate, then that is acceptable. But I would like to amend this question in a different manner: Is there any process by which our meditation will be easier, clearer and better? That is my question. If it is not your question, it is the seventh question, so I will answer the question.
You know, if I ask you a question, “Is there any process by which you will be able to have your meal comfortably with relish?”, what will be your answer? (Laughter from audience). You must eat with relish, you must be comfortable. In the same manner, once you make meditation in your life something like the daily food you need for nourishing the body, consider that meditation is a nourishment for your mind and intelligence. If you understand that food gives us nourishment and cannot be avoided, I have to eat everyday.
So that hunger for food should be there; feeling for food should be there. In the same manner, you should develop the hunger for meditation as a part of your life everyday. It must become one important part of your routine need and nourishment. When you give that place and importance, everyday if you don’t meditate, you will feel uncomfortable. You will say ‘Give me half an hour. I want to have meditation – 30 to 40 minutes. Today I have not meditated, so I miss it. I want to meditate. I want to meditate (Swamiji repeats)’.
So throughout the day, you always feel just like you are doing so many other routines necessary to constitute the day, here also you should feel ‘I want to have my quota of meditation.’ It is the nourishment for my mind. It is the nourishment, invigorator for the intelligence. This feeling if you carry through, which requires no extra effort, no extra time, nothing at all. All that you need is that you want it. When the feeling is there, the urge is there, that will make your feeling very comfortable, persuasive and compulsive. Am I clear? It is a point that all of you should hear. If you want me to say that 100 times, I shall say it 100 times. You should consider that meditation is a nourishment for your mind. If you want to have an active mind, vibrant mind, healthy mind, creative mind, vigorous mind, then you must strengthen it by meditation. Give it the nourishment.
Throughout the day you are spending your mind, you are employing the mind. You are never giving health to the mind, just like our exercises. See, after going to sleep and waking up, we are constantly active and interactive, employing the bodily organs. At what time do you take exercise and give health to your organs/ I don’t think people do it. Nowadays they are being repeatedly told, not merely food and nourishment , but exercise is a must, exercise is a must, exercise is a must (Swamiji repeats).
In the same manner, this meditation is the exercise by which the mind and the intelligence are going to be healthier, are going to be stronger, are going to be more effective and functional. Once you understand this, meditation can never be avoided. So have the hunger for it, hunger for it (Swamiji repeats). It is in the form of a feeling and recognition. Let that closely follow all your activities throughout the day. That will facilitate your meditation. Is it okay?
Anushia: Yes Swamiji. Swamiji, thank you so much for guiding us on meditation. Most of us have difficulty in meditation and today’s session has been useful for us to continue working on it.
Swamiji, can you talk to us about the coming launching of the new building in the ashram?
Poojya Swamiji: Ma is the right person to talk about it. She will talk. But before that I wanted to tell you I hurriedly went through the four-page newsletter (Society for Inner Resources Malaysia Newsletter).
It is a very good newsletter, well drafted and well formed. I have not read it patiently and with the slowness that is required. But one or two errors we have found and already pointed out. In page number three, Hindu Spiritual Meet, August 2009, The Society for Inner Resources Development Malaysia, the ‘Development’ word is missing there. Make a note of it.
There other one, in the second page “Feeling Poojya Swamiji’s presence through Vicarasethu, the second column, third line from the bottom, there is a word to be corrected. Brahma Vidya Abhyasa in my spiritual journey. No, it should be ‘their’ spiritual journey or something like that. Otherwise the newsletter is extremely good, quite substantial also. And it has good material for people to think about, wanting to participate in and get prepared for and all that. So everything is very well announced. Luckily you have Bahau and other areas where program (conducted) has been recorded. So it appears to be a very impressive newsletter. I am very happy that it has been done. I complement all the people. Carry on and generate news for the newsletter everytime now. It is a responsibility for you to generate news. At least in the name of news and its generation, you will have to be more active now. I am leaving it to you.
I am very very happy that all of you have come. This is a very good program indeed. You know I was very busy leaving the Ashram at 8.00 o’clock in the morning and coming (back) only at 7.00 to 7.30 in the evening because we had a five day Malayalam Retreat in Vedavyasa Bhaavan. We were expecting maximum about 30 people. We had accommodation for only that at Vyasa Tapovanam. Ultimately, number was about 80, 90 and 100. And the participants feel so happy, comfortable and enlightened about the program.
I was discussing Mundako Upanishad in the morning, and Bhagavad Gita, the main or chief message, especially interactional saadhana. And people started speaking. Some of the very elderly people, especially Nirmala and Gopal from Trichinapillai, we call it Trichunapuli now. Both of them had come. They are very elderly people. I asked them particularly to interact with the participants and give them some knowledge and background. They were saying it was a very enlightened assembly. Quite a number of people were knowledgeable and had a lot of interest in the subject and all of them felt very, very comfortable. We had to prepare the whole of Vyasa Tapovanam, which is otherwise an old age home, to accommodate a few guests for the occasion. Everything went off well. The morning prayer and evening bhajan and we kept them busy all throughout, not very ….. So that was very good. After so many years we could conduct a program in Malayalam. Otherwise the people of Kerala were sometimes completely neglected, you could say, because our programs are all in English. So I was very particular that something should be done. So we have done it. It has been very, very effective and we were preparing a report and an assessment of the whole function and meanwhile, I came for this program.
I am handing the microphone over to Ma who will tell you about our preparations for the 18th (of April). Asirvaaad. Harihi Om Tat Sat, Jai Guru.
Anushia: Pranaams Swamiji. Pranaams Maa.
Maa Guru Priya: I am very happy to see all of you. And so many faces. Some are not very clear. But to see the whole satsang hall full of people, gives a lot of joy. See Anushia, you said launching of the building. We don’t use the word launch, we say Uthaatanam in Sanskrit, and if we used English we say inauguration of the new building. And we are just getting ready for that on 18th April. The building has come out very well. Whoever is visiting the ashram these days, they say that it is very, very, very beautiful. And very strangely, the veranda of the new building reminds us of the old kutia where we used to live. And the pathway in front of it has been laid with interlocking tiles. It is also slightly orangish in colour. There is a thulasi thera newly made, which is also looking beautiful. It is painted, the painter sometimes makes mistakes and paints it not in the manner which Nutan Swamiji would like it to be. And yesterday I found Nutan Swamiji beating his head and I was called down to decide which is good, what the painter has painted, what Nutan Swamiji likes. So all these things are going on. Even now the painter I, find that with a little thin brush, he is touching up here, touching up there and otherwise you can say that there is a daksya yajna going on in the ashram. I don’t know whether you know about daksya yajna. A yajna that was spoiled by Daksya. A yajna was going on and where Daksya, another..he came with all his men and army and all that and spoiled the yajna, running through the palace and all that. Why it is so, because this building, it has mostly offices, reception, library; it is not a residential building, people are not residing there. So meditation hall, reading room and library and one side with reception and in the first floor, there are two offices. One is Finance Office and another is the offices for women. Then upstairs is where Swamiji’s office and I also have an office there next to Swamiji. So my office came out just by chance because my present office, which was quite okay for me, lost its very beautiful scenic view when this building came up. And right from the beginning of this new change, I have been requesting the architect that whatever you may do, please don’t spoil the view that I get from my windows. But he could not save the view. So he very kindly made an office for me on that side. So this is how I get a new office. So we are in the process of shifting, many new almairas, bureas, chairs and tables have come. So in the process of shifting, you can understand that the present almairas have to taken out and dusted and put back. So for a long time we have been doing all this because we have not been able to do it with a long stretch of time in hand, and because in between, visitors are there and other work is there and the ashram routines have to be maintained. Swamiji is asking how it becomes a daksya yajna. Because so many workers come in lifting almairas and then they are very helpful also. So, we, especially the ladies, we will make them bring one almaira inside the room and tell them “Put it there”. So they will put it there. Then we will say “Please, we don’t like it here, can you please put it against the other wall”. Then they will very happily put it against the other wall. Then we will say “Sorry, can you please put it back there, I think the other one was better. So for one week, my things and files from the old office was lying in the corridor. Only yesterday I could shift them to the new office but I have not been able to arrange them. So it has been going on like this. I just want to give you the picture we are going through, but it is quite fun also. In between we have to go outside and buy things. Nutan Swamiji, in spite of his bad back, he has been standing there with the workers getting things made, a very beautiful ramp, it is very slow gradient, has come up. A new flight of staircase, it looks very beautiful.
Now the 18th program will be, generally whenever a building is made, always we use to have a program for the workers. Whoever is associated with the building, we use to call them and Swamiji would bless them giving them, showing gratitude, saying words of appreciation and then giving them some gifts. Always Swamiji used to say that “Till a building is made, the workers are free to roam about there, the workers are mostly inside. But once the building is made, they are outside and they come very hesitantly inside. Because we take possession of the building, then it becomes our place. And the workers when they have to come, they are not as free as they were earlier. So Swamiji makes this point very clear and tells them how grateful we are. And while using the building, we always remember how and with what carefulness and attention they have made the work possible. So 18th also we are going to have as a program where we call up all the workers. And after giving the gift to them, generally it is dress material, which they like. And we give feeding to them. That is a day for the workers actually; we invite them, we give them proper seats to sit. Then we look after their feeding after giving out the dresses. Now this time it so happens that some devotees who have been coming and going, some of the them heard that everybody whenever they came, while the building was getting ready, Swamiji and Nutan Swamiji they used to go and show them what are the … many of them asked “When is the inauguration?”. They would be happy to come here. So that is how some devotees are coming. So we told everybody, we also announced to those in Malaysia. And some people are coming and not only that. The FRNV people suggested an FRNV meeting, it will be conducted on the 19th in the ashram. So that is how quite some devotes are coming. And we are expecting twenty or so people from outside and also the workers. So altogether on that day on the 18th, there will be 200 people to take food. One of the devotees, who is also FRNV vice-president, he has arranged one classical musical program by one Shankaran Namboodri, to be held on 18th evening here. So we are all looking forward to that also. So this is what is going on here. We all miss you. We remember you. And we all feel that we would have been happy if you were here along with us. Swamiji wants to say something. I shall hand over the mic to him.
Anushia: Thank you Maa.
Poojya Swamiji: Sreedharanji or Mr. Sreedharan, the President of FRNV, who is otherwise the Managing Director of Delhi Metro Corporation, he happened to be here on the second and third. Sreedharanji was expressing a desire… The same desire was expressed by Anandanji of Dubai also. There was a necessity for the governing body of FRNV to meet in my presence. In any way, 18th happens to be the inauguration day of the praggyana dham. So Sreedharanji and the others were supposed to come here when we mentioned. So we decided to club along with their presence. So 18th we won’t be able to move it fairly. There was also a meeting where Mr. Aiyappan, of Hindustan Latex Limited, it is a central government undertaking an important position. He also happened to come and see me. The purpose of the meeting was to launch the Trivandrum Chapter of FRNV. Mr. Aiyappan is going to be the Convener as well as the Director of the Trivandrum Chapter of FRNV. These are two important developments that have taken place. The FRNV has listed four important objectives to be acted upon and they have also formed project groups about which perhaps communication has already reached you. One is electoral reforms. Another is Police Reforms. Another is National Value Education Syllabus. The National Value Restoration Council. And the Project Group, I understand, is something very important manned by good people. So this is the background of all the developments here. Okay I bless all of you, my blessings to all of you.
Anushia: Pranaams Swamiji.
Poojya Swamiji: Okay, aasirvaad.
Rimaji: Is there anything further for Swamiji, Nutan Swamiji or Maa; or we shall conclude the satsang with them?
Anushia: Yes, could we please have Maa to close the session in the usual way? Thank you.
Maa Guru Priya: We shall chant together…. (Prabuddham Vimukhtam…. ) Jaiguru, Jaiguru. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Video satsang, 12 April, 2009. Duration 58 minutes. Skype set-up and recording by Rames and Rema. Satsang coordination by Unnikrishnan and Jeyabalasingam. Hand-out sheet prepared by Management Committee, Society for Inner Resources Development Malaysia. Bhojan Annakshetra team supervised by Shanti. Transcription of audiofile by Swaminathan (27 April, 2009). Emailed to Ashram 11 May 2009.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix: (Hand-out sheet and reading material given to participants for group discussion before the commencement of video-satsang):
SIRD Malaysia Video-satsang: Sunday Date 12 April 2009. Topic: Meditation
Devotee S writes to Swamiji on progress in saadhana: Swamiji, sitting down for meditation was relatively easier when you were here in Malaysia. At that time it was as if effortless. Also, my mantra was always in my mind. But now, I need to make a conscious effort to recite my mantra when not in meditation. Swamiji, there is a sense of guilt as I read your words on meditation. Duration and regularity are decisive. I sit down for at least 45 minutes regularly but there are times when too many thoughts arise, my attention is not on the mantra, a feeling of dejection enters the mind and I discontinue meditation.
Swamiji replies: Meditational sitting, as a pursuit after diksha (initiation) should become part of your life, like food and breath. Make it so, by giving it the supreme place it deserves in your life. What happens in this sitting should not bother you. Why?
1. Meditation, when well done, will lead to inner absorption. This, when verily settles, the whole mind process will dissolve and as in deep sleep, you will get into your inmost recess. But this may not happen every time you sit for meditation. Nor is it necessary.
2. Meditation is meant to take you to your mind-front or inner realm. The object is to make you understand what the mind and mind processes are. What is meant by thought? How does it emerge? Where? By emergence, how does it bring about its effect? Is that effect superficial or deep?
3. How does a thought prevail? Where does it prevail, in what substance or surface? Is it like a wave on the sea? Then, how does it subside? Does it take any physical space from the body to be present? If it does not, why? What is the thought wave then? Can it be material? If not, what else is it?
4. How can so many thoughts in succession come? What or who instruments their inter-relationship? Is there always a sequence in thinking? If there is, what or who brings it about? What is then diversional thinking? How is versatility explained in such a background?
5. Does a thought reveal itself by its brilliance, as a lit lamp before the eyes? Can there be any such brilliance inside? Then how does the thought process reveal itself to you? Is a thought luminous, to be revealed? Or something else reveals the thought? What is the nature of inner luminosity?
6. If the thought arises only to subside instantly thereupon, is there anything to grumble or feel troubled? Why are you feeling tormented then? Does not the whole sequence call for a direct inner examination and evaluation? Are you able to do this? If not, why not?
7. Having a mind and the mind process for decades, how is it that you are not able to study and analyze it well and come to your own judgement?
8. You can do all this only when you sit in a place, close your eyes and go on looking into your own within, while the within is revolving many thoughts. So consider thoughtful spells not to be a disturbance or something unfavourable. Regard them as friendly, an opportunity to clinch this self-examination successfully.
9. What do I then want to say? No matter if you do not get absorbed with stillness! Use the spell for this inward familiarization. Well done, it will generate beautiful Subject knowledge.
10. Should you not know your own inner personality? It is not for external science or technological gadgets to do this. You alone can do it, personally, inwardly, directly. This is called tattva-vicara, introspection on the Truth. Do not miss it at all. Do it faithfully and let me know how you fare.
Vicarasetu, November 2006, pages 25-27.
Questions for the GROUP MEMBERS participating in the discussion
1. What is meditation and why is it given such supreme importance in spirituality?
2. For initiates Poojya Swamiji’s technique is to repeat and preserve the diksha mantra until such time as the thought process dissolves. How is this different from japa?
3. Is initiation a necessity before one can practise meditation?
4. Many initiates speak of their inability to maintain earnestness in practising meditation wholesomely and regularly. What can be the practical safeguards to prevent this from happening?
5. Suggest how devotees can be encouraged to communicate (e.g. by email) with Swamiji to discuss their progress in saadhana.
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